Celebrity Internet Rates

Here are the internet costs from the Celebrity Equinox

As you go $0.65 a minute

Occasional $29.95 gives you 49 mins which equals $0.60 a minute

Standard $49.95 gives you 89 mins which equals $0.56 a minute

Social $79.95 gives you 150 mins which equals $0.53 a minute

Power $99.95 gives you 237 mins which equals $0.42 a minute

This does not include any specials or elite deals.

That's what we've found. The Elite coupon is good for 90 minutes and they actually have you sign up for the 90 min package and then give you a credit on your account with the coupon - but all has to be done at once at the computer center.

Only thing worth noting is that if you buy a package and go over the overage minutes are charged at a discounted rate based on the package you bought and not the $0.65 rate.

Thanks for sharing these rates. Do they allow you to purchase one of these packages late in the cruise? And how do you keep track of the time you've used?

I have FOIS at home and am always on line. I am bringing my laptop, but am not planning (at the moment) to use it to get on line. I understand that the connection is rather slow. I am trying to go cold turkey for my 9-day cruise, will see how long I can hold out.

Thanks for sharing these rates. Do they allow you to purchase one of these packages late in the cruise? And how do you keep track of the time you've used?

 

I have FOIS at home and am always on line. I am bringing my laptop' date=' but am not planning (at the moment) to use it to get on line. I understand that the connection is rather slow. I am trying to go cold turkey for my 9-day cruise, will see how long I can hold out.[/quote']

 

You are given the option to purchase a package whenever you log in. If you've purchased a package it gives you your remaining balance every time you log in or out. The same account and minutes is used both on a laptop, internet cafe, or other wifi device.

 

Compared to your FOIS at home the service isn't just slow, most of the time it is agonizingly slow and sometimes it just just plain unavailable. Speed and connection depend on both satellite connection quality and the amount of bandwidth available for passengers as well as how many passengers are using the service at one time. i.e. - if you get on at a popular time like mid afternoon on a sea day it will likely be pretty slow.

Compared to your FOIS at home the service isn't just slow, most of the time it is agonizingly slow and sometimes it just just plain unavailable. Speed and connection depend on both satellite connection quality and the amount of bandwidth available for passengers as well as how many passengers are using the service at one time. i.e. - if you get on at a popular time like mid afternoon on a sea day it will likely be pretty slow.

That's what I've heard. How is the speed in an off time - say at 4:30 am? I'm a morning person and that's my usual wake-up time.

That's what I've heard. How is the speed in an off time - say at 4:30 am? I'm a morning person and that's my usual wake-up time.

It will be better at times when fewer people would on the internet as long as the satellite connection is good. But sorry, I can not tell you from experiance how it is at 4:30AM!

...and make sure any credit actually goes through. I had to work on our last cruise and bought the largest package offered and our credit never went through even though the guy doing the set-up applied it. We asked about it right up to the last night but nothing happened.

I had my laptop and found the most economical way to do it was to log on, download e-mail, log off, answer e-mail and then log on to re-send. I never tried at 4.30 am but whenever I did it was slooooooow.

So do I understand this right that to sign up for an internet package you go to the Computer Lab and sign on to a computer, buy a particular package, and then that is charged to your onboard account? That can be done at any point during your cruise and not have to be done on the first day?

If two people are using the same account, be sure that you use only one card - the same one - each time. My husband set up the account with his card, then inadvertently used mine to log in. He wasn't paying attention and just clicked through the screens. We ended up with a session billed at the full rate even though we had an account that would have charged a lower rate. It took a while, but we got it straightened out through the internet manager.

Just a heads up. Don't assume that if you are in the same cabin, either card will give you access to the internet account. It doesn't. They are billed separately as are all charges on the Sea Pass. Seasoned Celebrity passengers know this. We didn't.

So do I understand this right that to sign up for an internet package you go to the Computer Lab and sign on to a computer, buy a particular package, and then that is charged to your onboard account? That can be done at any point during your cruise and not have to be done on the first day?

That is correct - I recall that the option to purchase a package was given every time you sign in unless you've already purchased one

OK, I'm new to all of this. Just bought a netbook. How will it work? Do we still go to the computer lab and log on to one of their computers?

So do I understand this right that to sign up for an internet package you go to the Computer Lab and sign on to a computer, buy a particular package, and then that is charged to your onboard account? That can be done at any point during your cruise and not have to be done on the first day?

They used to give an extra % of minutes if you signed up the first day. I can't remember if it was a coupon with your Elite package, or just an offer they advertise upon embarkation in your cabin literature. It would be worth checking in to.

OK, I'm new to all of this. Just bought a netbook. How will it work? Do we still go to the computer lab and log on to one of their computers?

Yes, you have to log on to one of their computers with your seapass, establish a user name and password, then get the link on your netbook. They will help you set all this up.

If you both are Elite, you use your seapass to create an account for your self and the other seapass to create a separate account. Once you run out of your 90 minutes, you just log on to the other account. Caution, if you log on and only have 1 or 2 minutes left on your account, it won't bump you off at the end of your 2nd minute. If you stay on for 10 minutes, you will be charged at the going rate of $.65 for those other 8 minutes.

Create one account for example as a user name of Smith and the other account as Smith1, using the same password for both accounts. It's easier to remember that way, at least for me.

... it won't bump you off at the end of your 2nd minute. If you stay on for 10 minutes, you will be charged at the going rate of $.65 for those other 8 minutes...

Just a minor point: If you buy a package then when the package runs out any future minutes are charged at the package rate rather than the non-package rate. For example the 90 minute package is $50 which breaks down to $0.56/minuite. So if your 90 minute package is used up then remaining minutes are charged at a rate of $0.56/minuite rather than the $0.65 non-package rate.

One other note: make sure you check your fees regularly. I had the 90 min package rate and it was fine while I was using my laptop. But I used the Computer Lab twice and was charged the non-package rate both times. I got the charges removed with no problem the day I noticed them, but the point is, they were there.

I also found that my laptop was pretty fast in certain parts of the ship, like the Cova Cafe for example. Well, faster than other areas of the ship anyway.

I never thought to try it in the Cova Cafe, but service was very slo-o-o-ow everywhere else I tried. I even fired it up in the Theater (during bingo one afternoon), thinking my proximity to the computer area would help. Not so. I had a few good sessions, but most of the time slow service and dropped connections were the norm. It is important to know how to handle dropped connections to minimize the charges that accrue when you didn't have the opportunity to sign off properly. You must power down the laptop, but even then you will continue to run up about $3.00 worth of charges in this situation.

This really isn't a complaint as much as just a heads-up to anyone planning to use wireless on board. If you go expecting less than stellar connections then you won't be disappointed.

Also, I felt the people in the computer area were very fair in adding back minutes any time I spoke with them about dropped connections. I think it helps to speak with them courteously and with the understanding that they're not personally making the system malfunction. But to their credit I saw them being very helpful and professional even when they were dealing with a few whiny, spoiled brats as well.

Here are the internet costs from the Celebrity Equinox

 

As you go $0.65 a minute

Occasional $29.95 gives you 49 mins which equals $0.60 a minute

Standard $49.95 gives you 89 mins which equals $0.56 a minute

Social $79.95 gives you 150 mins which equals $0.53 a minute

Power $99.95 gives you 237 mins which equals $0.42 a minute

 

This does not include any specials or elite deals.

One other point to note if you have the Elite Internet coupon:

Celebritry credits the COST of the 90 minute package to your account, not the number of minutes, so, for example, if you purchase the 237 minute Power package, you only pay $99.95-49.95 = $50.00 for the 237 minutes, giving you an effective rate of $0.21 per minute.

I had originally thought that they would remove the 90 minutes from the package, then charge you at the package rate for the reduced number of minutes, e.g. 237-90 = 147 minutes x $0.42 (power package rate) = $61.74, but that is not what they do.

I think it's great that Celebrity handles this perk in the way that is of biggest benefit to the cruiser, and I think that $0.21 per minute is a very fair rate. :)

Thanks everyone for all the information

I think the Internet rates are outrageous when you consider how painfully slowwwww the service is...(not just on X, but on all lines)...it feels like surfing the web on a dodgy 14kbs modem 15 years ago...and paying through the teeth for the privilege. I think the American expression 'nickel and dimed' perfectly sums it up.

If it's just emails you are interested in, write them off line and save and then go on line to send. Takes a lot fewer minutes.;)

What I do not understand is why more people do not sign up for the international Data packages via their carrier. Then use phones like the Androids to create a WI-FI access point for others... a "Package" via verizon is like 60$ a month.. keep it for one week and can the package after you are done. what 15-20$ for unlimited during a week long cruise that others can "share"

What I do not understand is why more people do not sign up for the international Data packages via their carrier. Then use phones like the Androids to create a WI-FI access point for others... a "Package" via verizon is like 60$ a month.. keep it for one week and can the package after you are done. what 15-20$ for unlimited during a week long cruise that others can "share"

I can't speak for other carriers, but for ATT the data packages don't work like this. They are not unlimited and a 200mb package can cost $200/month or something like that., Furthermore they pro-rate so if you only have it for 1 week then cancel you will only be charged one week but you will only have gotten an allowance of 7/30th of a month's data allowance. If you used more than that the excess will be charged at the non-package rates. Also the ATT website indicates the international packages do not apply at sea - only at port.

I have a Blackberry through Verizon, and was planning to use their "cruise" data package on my upcoming cruise for checking email. I think it costs $60 month or something, and I was going to use it for the two weeks we're sailing, then cancel once I got home. I did not speak with Verizon directly, but from reading the website, I think these rates apply only while AT SEA, and while in port, regular international rates apply.

Since I'm not really sure what would be covered and what wouldn't, and I sure don't want any surprises when I get home, I'm now planning to turn my BB off once aboard, and not turning it back on until we're back in FLL. I'll take my laptop, bite the bullet and pay for an internet package, and work offline as much as possible to make the minutes last as long as I can. (I can also work on my pictures for a few minutes each day if I have the laptop with me, which will save me hours of work after I'm home!)

I've also set up a separate email address that I will give out right before we leave to my family, one co-worker, and my bosses, just in case they need to get hold of me. That way, I won't have to wade through all the junk email in my regular account, or through a separate work email account. Everyone will be told that I will only be checking this email address, and to use it if they want to be sure I pick up their messages.

The possibility of coming home to an $800 phone bill scares the heck out of me, and I know that even if I was told by Verizon what I could and could not do with one of their plans, I'd still be afraid of having a surprise on my next bill!:eek:

On Summit, is it better to use a laptop or their computers? I've also used their computers but might bring my netbook along this time if there was a good reason to.

Also is the Cova Cafe the best place to log on?

I found the updated Internet rates on the Celebrity site and posted them below: my question is around usage and I know it all depends on when you connect etc. I will be on an 11 day cruise and would like to log onto my laptop twice daily in off peak times to check my email then respond while offline and reconnect eventually to send. If I will be sending and receiving 50-100 messages per day can anyone tell me what package I should choose? I am leaning towards the 240 minute package. Any suggestions or recommendations?

Internet Packages

Minutes Included Price

90 $59

240 $109

600 $219

1680 $429

Per minute rate is $0.79. Captain's Club Premium Offers are distributed onboard may not apply to all packages. Internet rates and packages are subject to change without prior notice.